Tissues at the ready

Hello, I'd like to introduce myself.  My name is Robyn and I've turned into a sap.  I am not sure exactly when my ability to tear up at the drop of a hat started, but I am going to blame motherhood.

Ian is not naturally athletic.  It's ok, neither are his mom and dad.  Whatever accomplishments Ian made on the soccer field came more from his abundance of enthusiasm and pure luck, than any kind of skill.  Getting Ian into gymnastics turned out to be a great outlet for someone who needs to progress at his own pace and will not be compared to others in a team setting, keeping count of goals, passes or assists.  It's a great solo sport, but you still feel like you are part of a bigger thing.  Watching Ian even try at gymnastics has me beaming brighter than a flashlight.

The gymnastics building is set-up that the parents sit on the 2nd floor and watch the action going on down below, on the first floor.  I try to get there early so that Sam and I can get seats right up front.  It's hard for me to not watch every exercise, tumble, swing from the rings, pummel horse and hand stand Ian attempts.  When I see Ian turn his body upside down and keep it perfectly straight, hanging from the rings, I want to stand up and yell, "WAY TO GO IAN!!!!  YOU DID IT!!!!"  Or, when Ian is attempting hand stands and he manages to keep his body in the air for 5 seconds, my breath is taken away and I start to tear up. I know how hard Ian tries and really gives it his all.

I am sure the other mothers around me think I am completely nuts.  They are busy reading their books, chatting with the other moms, helping siblings with homework or working on their laptops.  Sometimes I've been known to say excitedly, "He did it!!"  Or, "Wow!  Look at him, Sam!  Ian's is doing it!!!"  Even possibly, "Way to go Ian" has come out of my mouth from time to time to no one in particular.  Sam, by the way, is busy watching a movie on the iPad and could really not be bothered to watch her brother.

There was this one mother, who has 3 boys all taking gymnastics at the same time as Ian, who answered back to me one time, "Yes, I saw Ian do it too!".  I guess she felt sorry for me and wanted to know I wasn't alone.